Benue State Government has suspended there traditional rulers over their involvement in the cummunal crisis rocking their Communities.
Governor Samuel Ortom announced their suspension, on Monday, after an eight hour expanded Security Council Meeting held at the Government House, Makurdi.
The suspended traditional rulers are the district head of Utange council ward in Ushongo LGA, Mr. Dominic Iorer, Peter Kyum, the district head of Shough and Angegh Kuhe the district head of Mbasombo ward both in Gwer East local government area of the state.
According to the Governor, the head of Utange was suspended as a result of his insubordination to constituted authority while the district head of Shough and that of Mbasombo were suspended following their involvement in the communal clashes in Gwer East.
The Governor explained that it was also established that one Abagana Ityav from Gwer West was responsible for most of the criminal activities being perpetrated by some hoodlums in the area, saying the man had been arrested and handed over to security agents for investigation and possible prosecution.
He vowed to deal decisively with all those found to be aiding and abating crisis and other criminal activites in their domains.
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Ortom called on Benue people to live together and be their brother’s keeper in order to achieve desired development, adding that there is no point fighting one another and destroying what they spent years to built.
“When there is a crisis, the first thing to do is to get into a peaceful dialogue with one another. We are getting into a devastating recession, not just Benue or Nigeria but the entire world.
“With the COVID-19 ravaging the entire world, we should be serious with our lives because the pandemic is not a joke”, Ortom said.
Speaking on the lingering crisis between the Ihyarev and Kparev in Tyo-Mu community in Makurdi, the Governor condemned the crisis that had claimed several lives and announced that the committee set up by the government headed by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Tony Ijoho, SAN, has been restructured to remove parties with interest and to accommodate others.
He said new members include Tors Kwande, Jechira, Gwer, Ter Lobi as well as Ter Makurdi and commissioners for Justice and Land and Survey, His Security Adviser, Col. Paul Hemba and Permanent Secretary Internal Affairs.
The Governor further solicited for support of all Benue people especially in the area of intelligence gathering to enable security agencies nip crime and criminalities in the bud.